


In Another Life

by maria_soederberg



Category: LoveHacks (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2020-03-07 23:31:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18883516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maria_soederberg/pseuds/maria_soederberg
Summary: Julia is an excellent cook and baler. She owns her a restaurant close to the bay of San Francisco. One of the gourmets, in towns, wants to try Julia’s new creation, but something goes wrong.





	In Another Life

**Author's Note:**

> Main Character's Name: Julia Summer
> 
> Reading Time: ~ 17 minutes

Working as a baker is never easy. It means to get up early in the morning while everyone is still asleep, preparing bread, cakes and biscuits for everyone. Making sure the equipment is clean and available. Also checking the quality of certain dough is one work that has to be done before the first customers arrive. Of course, she is not the only baker in this five-star restaurant, but she is the only one specialised for cupcakes and cakes. She loves to decorate cakes or prepare a wedding cake for some people. For this, she loves to get up early in the morning and get back home very late.  
But one thing annoys her on her job she loves so much. The working hours she has, don’t let her meet many people, she is a lone wolf most of the time. She has friends of course, but they barely see her when she works. Only when she makes holidays, they see her, and holidays is what Julia barely does. All she does is think about her customers and their pleasing. That Julia has barely any private life is the consequence she pays for seeing happy faces in her job.

Julia got up early and already prepares some cute cupcakes, doughnuts and of course cakes. Her favourite cakes to prepare are the Baumkuchen and the chocolate soufflé. Challenging herself is one of her favourite part of the day. Of course, she is already common with the difficulties of making those special cakes, but she always adds some new ingredients to make it new and special – something the customers only can eat in her restaurant instead of in another one in San Francisco.

A short time after opening, a customer asked for a special chocolate soufflé. They want to be surprised by Julia. And Julia is no one who would say no to that kind of challenge. As she finished the last touches at her soufflé, she walks out to bring it to the customer. Suddenly an impact of a person on her back makes her fall down and letting the soufflé fall down to the floor. Her new creation with the soufflé spreads on the floor, and ready to be thrown away. All the work she did there, was wasted.

“Can’t you see where you are walking! My creation is ruined!" Julia hisses turning around to the person who ran into her, visible angry because of the ruined soufflé.

As she gazes up at the person her breath is taken away. A black-haired man, with glasses and black eyes, is standing in front of her. He wears a green cardigan over a white shirt along with black chino trousers. She never was fascinated by a man before. But something is different with him.

“I am really sorry, Miss." the man apologises. "Maybe I can make it up to you by buying you a drink? Or help you with this soufflé? And prepare a new one?"

The anger for the soufflé comes back and she shakes her head. »It’s better if you stay away, so this is not happening again."  Julia walks back into the kitchen before coming back out to clean the soufflé. The man is gone when she comes out, only a small paper lays next to the ruined soufflé on the floor. Julia picks it up.

I really am sorry for ruining this amazing soufflé. I hope I can make it up to you

xx

Julia can’t help and smile. This is the first time a man shows interest in her or in her work. She is not letting that go, especially she won’t let him go. It was like sparks were sparkling between them. And for a moment the world stops and only he and her existed. She would be stupid to let this chance go, but something tells her, that she will never meet him again. Why didn’t he leave at least his number?   
Julia shakes her head and puts the note into her jacket and starts to clean the soufflé. When she did that she walks over to the table where the soufflé was ordered.

“Sir, I have to apologise, but the soufflé takes a little longer than usual. I just crashed into a customer and the soufflé fell down. I prepare a new one immediately. Can I bring you something else before?" Julia smiles at the man in the plaid shirt.

"Well if it takes a while, I’d like to have a small strawberry cake, the finest you got." the man in the plaid shirt orders.

"Will bring it to you in a minute, this time with no incident. I hope.” she smiles and walks away from him. She takes a strawberry cake and puts it onto the plate.

“Athena? Can you bring this cake out to the man in the plaid shirt in table four? I have to prepare his soufflé!"

Athena walks over with a smile and takes the plate out of her hand. Carefully with no incident, Athena brings it to the man. After only a short time even Julia is finished with the special chocolate soufflé. "Here we go."

She breathes in and walks over to the man in the plaid shirt, keeping her eye on the soufflé in her hands, and her surroundings so no person can run into her.

"Your soufflé. I hope you like this special one." Julia smiles and puts it in front of him.

"Thank you very much, I try it immediately." the person says and tries the special cake. Judged by his face the soufflé is incredible. He closes his eyes and let the soufflé melt onto his tongue. "Perfect!" He smiles up to Julia.

"Mark! Look who I found? Ben and I ran into each other, and I hope you don’t mind I bring him along." a girl with blond hair comes up cheerful. And to Julia’s surprise the man next to her, the man called Ben is very familiar to her.

As Ben sees Julia, he smiles at her. "Well, this moment came early than I thought." Ben grins at her, holding out his hand. “My name is Ben Park. And I apologise again for that ruined soufflé. I hope this one of my friends is as great as the first one."

Julia takes his hand and shakes it. "Julia Summer. And apology accepted. Your friend is obviously happy, so am I." Julia smiles but both don’t let go. The warmth of his hand around hers makes Julia heart beat faster.

"Oh, you were the incident, she talked about." Mark interrupts them. The blond woman is just smiling at Julia and Ben.

“What if you two eat something together?" the woman says to them.

Julia smiles but then puts on an apologetical expression. “I still have work to do till ten o’clock. Before this, I can’t. Not that I don’t want to, but my job is very important, and maybe you have time so late? I don’t know. And I am rambling right?" Julia blushes looking into Ben’s black eyes.

"Well I like your rambling, and I’d love to meet you at ten o’clock after work." Ben smiles at her before he sits down at the table with Mark and the blond woman.

"I am Mark Collins, and this is my fiancée Dani Mendes, in case you were interested." Mark jokes.

Julia chuckles. "Nice to meet you! But now I have to get back to work. Can I bring you two something?" She looks at Dani and then at Ben who smiles at her.

"I take the citrus meringue pie.” Dani interrupts smiling at the visible chemistry between Julia and Ben. "Of course! And you?" Julia clears her throat.

"I’d like to have that promising soufflé?" Ben asks. Julia nods and smiles. "I bring it to you in the minute.”

The whole time Ben and Julia steal some looks, looking away shyly again. Julia asks herself how a man can make her feel like this. They just met but it feels like they know each other forever. Whenever she is close to him, she feels safe, home out of sudden. As if she finally arrived where she always belonged to. And his aftershave hunts her. Whenever a man with a similar aftershave walks by, she is reminded of Ben and she glances over to him, realising he never leaves her steps. She knows that both act like two teenagers, but she can’t help it. It’s been very long since she ever felt something like this, and she wants to enjoy it as long as she can have it.

As her shift ends, she puts on her casual clothes and walks out, meeting Ben in the booze he was with his friends with. Mark and Dani left a couple of hours ago, she saw in the corner of her eye. But Ben? He never left; he waited the whole time until she finally was able to leave.

"I am finished for today, and we can go out?" Julia suddenly shy, fumbling with her hands.

"Good idea, I know exactly where I can take you. I hope you don’t mind for a small walk?" Ben asks grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"I don’t mind at all." She takes her coat and puts it on, walking out with Ben on her side.

"To be honest, I usually never do this," Ben admits walking beside her, hands in his pocket.

"Going out?" Julia smirks.

"Well, I do go out, sometimes. No, I mean taking a woman out immediately. I mean we just met. But something tells me I can’t let this chance go." Ben explains smiling.

"Well, I am glad you do it. Usually, no one does it. As soon as they know I am a workaholic. They go and never come back." Julia reminisces looking around the empty streets of San Francisco. She saw this view a lot of times, but today it’s different. It seems like the colours are brighter, shining more than usual. Maybe it’s the company, maybe the light is different, but for her, it’s the company for sure.

"Do you see the painting on the wall over there?" Ben points across the street to a huge painted wall.

"Yes, I saw this very often. Sometimes I look at it for hours, it makes me feel calm. I can breathe after looking at it. Or when I am lonely, I look at it, and think about the things that await me." Julia smiles but then looks up at Ben serious. “That sounded so cheesy, I am sorry." Julia shakes her head and chuckles, walking further.

"It was actually a huge compliment," Ben shouts after her.

Julia turns around to Ben, looking back at him confused. "Why should it be a compliment?"

"I am an artist. And seeing a person feel about my painting like you do? Wow, biggest compliment an artist can get." Ben smiles.

Julia eyes widen. ”Oh my gosh! You are THAT Ben Park." Julia starts to laugh. "Didn’t you have that exhibition two months ago in the gallery here?"

"I did! Those were my works from a time I was suffering. I had some bad times; I am not getting into that now. But painting always helps. I am sure cooking or baking helps you too?" Ben smiles.

"It does, but what I also love to do when I feel bad. It’s looking at paintings. I was in that exhibition, and I felt so understood there." Julia looks over to the painting.

Ben walks over to Julia. "I don’t want to sound intrusive, but you are amazing Julia! I never heard anyone talk about my paintings like this. And to find out you like my painting and it quite helped you? Damn it was worth the time I invested into those paintings." Ben smiles at Julia.

Julia chuckles and blushes. "Well, where do we go now?"

Ben holds out his hand. "Trust me you will like it." he smiles at her.

Julia takes his hand and they walk into the direction of the beach. Julia loves the beach, it’s one of her favourite places. Many people hate this part of the city because it’s always crowded. But Julia usually never goes around midday. That might be the reason for her liking. The Beach is never full when she walks here, either early in the morning or late at night. Usually, San Francisco sleeps at this time, and she has the beach for herself. And now? Now she can share it with a man she just met. It is dangerous, to meet a man you just met, but it feels like this is the right thing to do. And he really doesn’t look like he has different intention. As they come closer to the beach, she sees a dinner table for two, with roses, candles and some food waiting for them.

"How did you manage this?" Julia walks over looking at the table, smiling. "Let me guess. Dani and Mark?" Julia looks expectantly at Ben.

Ben chuckles. "Guilty as charged." He holds the chair for her, smiling at her. He sits down across from her. Ben gazes into her green eyes, sparkling with the candle light in front of them.

"Ben? May I ask you something?" Julia looks into his black eyes, now looking even darker, even though the candle light shines close to them.

"Always.” Ben holds up champagne and points to her flute. She nods and he pours champagne into her glass.

"What told you to ask me out here? To get to know me?" Julia blushes take a sip from her champagne.

"It was just the feeling I had. It was like love at first sight. I feel like when I can’t be with you, I am not complete? Oh gosh, that sounds awful!" Ben shakes his head and laughs.

"No, it doesn’t. I thought I was stupid, but I felt the same. The moment I locked eyes with you, it was like I found my home?" she blushes even more. But even Ben blushes.

"I am happy we feel the same way." Ben smiles and together they start to eat.

Two months later they both still remember the wonderful evening together. If someone had asked Julia to shorten her work-time she would have laughed at this person. But now, here she is. Only working part-time as a baker and cook at her own five-star restaurant. She employed another cook who takes the other times. Ben really did make her see what is important in life. And of course, Julia shows Ben the same. Usually Ben draw more black and white paintings, but since he met Julia, his painting gets colourful. They are both very very happy to have met.

"What is my beautiful girlfriend doing right now?" Ben cuddles on her back, kissing her shoulder. "It’s Christmas soon, and I prepare some biscuits. Maybe you can decorate them too?" She turns around and holds up her dough covered hands. She tries not to ruin the shirt of Ben.

"I love to decorate them.” He kisses her nose and smiles.

Instantly he takes the first finished biscuits and decorates it with accuracy. Julia loves to watch him work, not just paint his paintings or draw some sketches. No, she also loves to watch him work on general work – cooking, cleaning, writing or even calculate something. They date for two months now, and two days ago they made it official. Usually, the love for each other dies down by now, at least in her life, but Ben? Ben is so different. Whatever he does, she falls in love even more with him, every day a bit more.

"Hasn’t your mum told you staring is rude?" Ben grins, not looking up from the biscuit in front of him.

Julia chuckles and focused back to the biscuits. "I wasn’t staring. Maybe I was looking at you, unintentionally of course. I was spaced out and might have looked at you." Julia rambles again.

Ben snorts and laughs. "Yes, I believe that completely." Ben looks up at her grinning. Julia throws flour at him, laughing.

Ben grabs her by the waist and pulls her closer to him. "You will regret that!" He takes some flour and swipes through her face. Julia laughs and grabs his face. "Stop it!"

“You started this Mrs Summer!" Ben kisses her cheek and holds her close to her. Not caring about the flour on her clothes that definitely will cover his shirt now.

“Well, not I stop it." Julia smiles and focuses back on the biscuits. When she puts the biscuits into the oven, Ben is still staring at her with a serious expression.

"Are you okay, Ben?" Julia cleans her hands, drying them on the towel and looking at him.

“I love you." Ben blurts out, making Julia looking at him.

“What?” Julia asks bewildered.

“I said. Julia Summer. I love you! I fell in love with you. Gosh, I loved you since I ran into you and ruined your soufflé."

Ben suddenly gets nervous; the more Julia just stares. "Julia…"

Julia burst into a huge smile. She throws herself into his arm, kissing him passionately on his lips.

"Ben, I love you too! And I did it at that moment too, even though I hated you at the same time." She chuckled.

Ben joins her, but then kisses her again, savouring the moment.

Both of their lives changed in a couple of months and because of what? Love. For Ben and for Julia, the best thing that happened to both of them was Love. The Love they found when they both found each other. Love – that made their life brighter, more colourful. Love – that makes them get up in the morning and look forward to a day, not just filled with work, but also with activities, they usually never did – climbing, swimming, just taking a walk together. But whatever they do, they do it together. And instead of running away, they both listen when the other person talks about their job because even thought, both aren’t working as much as they used to, work is still important for them. But with their love, that grows with each passing day, they can make everything work.


End file.
